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Cambridge City Council

Community Grants 2022-23

Application Guide & Privacy Notice

This funding is for activities that reduce social and economic inequality for Cambridge City residents with the most need

Activities must relate to our Community, Arts, Sports Development and

Anti-Poverty strategies as detailed in this guide

Closing date: 9am Monday 4th October 2021

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Can you apply for a Community Grant 2022-23

How to apply for a Community Grant 2022-23

Action 1 – Contents This document contains important information to help you understand the eligibility criteria, funding priorities and specific outcomes for this funding programme. Please read the information carefully. Our Process Timetable and Privacy Notice are at the back of the document in the Appendices. Pages 12-14

Action 2 – Funding Outcomes and Priorities

Funding Outcomes - The Community Grants programme focusses on outcomes (the difference that is made as a result of the activity and not the activity itself). We want to know what the benefits will be for people who participate in the activity or what positive changes will happen as a result of the activity. The chart on page 3 details the funding priorities and essential outcomes.

Action 1

• Read this document containing information on the essential criteria which all applications must meet

• This funding programme requires specific outcomes Pages 2-5

Action 2

• Ensure your proposed activity meets the Community Grant's priorities and outcomes Pages 2-5 and will be completed by 31st March 2023

• Check the examples of what we would /would not fund Pages 4-6

Action 3• Ensure your organisation meets the Community Grant's eligibility criteria Pages 7-8• Complete the 'Can you Apply?' checklist Page 8-9

Action 4• If you want to apply for a Community Grant you need to request an Application Form

if you have not already been sent one Page 9

Action 5

• Complete the Application Form using the Application Form Help Notes and this document as a guide Page 9

• For help with your application form you can also attend a webinar, or contact us with individual queries (see contacts in Action 5) Page 10

Action 6• Your application must be completed in full, signed and submitted with all of the

accompanying documents by the closing date: 9am Monday 4th October 2021 Page 11• Late and/or incomplete applications will not be accepted

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As well as the primary outcome, your activity must achieve one or more of the following strategic outcomes:

Strategic Outcomes

Reduce poverty Improve skills and confidence to gain employment Improve general health and wellbeing Communities come together and bring about change Stronger voluntary sector in the city

All applications MUST demonstrate how the funding will reduce social and/or economic inequality, by removing barriers for City residents with the most need,

to enable them to access one or more of the funding priorities:

Funding Priorities

Your activity needs to be one of these: Sports Arts and cultural Community development Reducing poverty Legal and/or financial advice* Employment support Voluntary sector capacity building to achieve the above

* Organisations applying to give legal advice and support must have The Advice Quality Standard (AQS) or equivalent.

Primary Outcome

Your activity must achieve this: Reduce social and/or economic inequality

for City residents with the most need

Pages 4 - 6 contain information on what we will and will not fund

Pages 2 - 5 explain our focus on outcomes

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Organisations will need to: detail the outcome(s) that will be achieved by their activity demonstrate how the activity contributes to the achievement of the funding outcomes tell us how they will evidence that the specified outcomes have been achieved

Social and economic inequality - we want our funding to reach City residents who are disadvantaged through low income/poverty, unemployment, and other barriers to accessing community, art, culture, sport and recreational activities.

Barrier - something that prevents, stops or blocks people from being able to access activities and services. These barriers may be caused by low income/poverty or through inequalities caused by disability, gender, ethnicity, etc.

Need - we want to understand the problem/issue to be addressed and the evidence that this need exists. Funding Priorities - Examples of what we would consider funding with appropriate outcomes.

Arts & Cultural Activities We have a broad and open definition of arts and culture including music, drama, visual art, film, and other creative activities: activities for groups of people who face barriers to accessing art, enabling participation inclusion activities which bring people together to improve mental and physical wellbeing targeted projects to improve access to the arts including activities for minority ethnic groups, people

with disabilities, and those on low income See examples: https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/community-grants-for-arts-and-culture

Community Development Activities Activities which bring people together: to improve wellbeing (this does not include clinical health activities) from different communities to improve and develop cohesion and integration to reduce inequality, particularly through low income to have a voice and influence services which affect them to reduce social isolation

Employment Support Activities for those who face particular barriers participating in the City’s economy e.g. mental and

physical disability Activities for those who have lost confidence Activities which directly relate to pre-employment Support, advice and guidance for unemployed people to gain motivation, skills and confidence to engage

in employment

Legal & Financial Advice Organisations applying to give legal advice and support must have The Advice Quality Standard (AQS) or equivalent. General advice on welfare benefits, debt, housing and employment General advice for those who face barriers of illiteracy or language Helping people access advice who cannot use the internet Home visiting /outreach work on legal advice for those who cannot access the main premises Helping those in debt, or at the risk of becoming in debt, to manage their finances

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Sporting Activities Activities focussing on improving physical activity levels for those currently inactive (tackling sedentary

behaviour) Swimming for children and adults who cannot swim more than 25m unaided Informal sport and recreation Approaches to tackling obesity Reducing inequality in opportunity to be physically active eg: through low income, disability, gender,

cultural need NB – Reasonable equipment will only be considered as part of a fully costed activity

Reducing Poverty Activities Activities to support people on low income to maximise their income and minimise their costs, such as:

debt, financial and benefits advice and support to reduce energy and water costs Activities that promote and signpost sources of affordable finance and can demonstrate the accessible,

affordable offer available Activities focusing on raising skills and employability for people on low incomes which are not the remit

of others and have clearly defined and measurable outcomes Activities to help people on low incomes get online and develop digital skills to access services and

benefits, communicate with friends and family, or to develop basic and higher-level digital skills needed in the workplace

Activities to support people experiencing food poverty Activities to promote volunteering by low income residents Activities to improve physical and mental health outcomes for people on low income such as those that

focus on promoting physical activity, healthy diets and healthy lifestyles; and outreach advice services for residents experiencing mental health issues associated with living in poverty or on a low income (We will not fund clinical activities for residents with physical or mental health needs)

Activities to address specific barriers experienced by groups of people more likely to experience poverty and social isolation, including: older people, children and young people, low income families, disabled people, BAME residents, women and LGBT+ residents

Voluntary Sector Capacity Building - relating to the above activities Activities which help strengthen the capacity of voluntary organisations (who run activities relating to the priorities listed above), including: start up support developing organisational sustainability developing strong governance, management, policies and procedures financial support, e.g. funding applications, income generation, shared services, financial management,

identifying and seeking different sources of income, partnership development, business plans improving skills, knowledge, sharing expertise and good working practice stimulating volunteering opportunities and supporting good volunteering practice

Examples of what we will not fund from Community Grants – please read carefully

a) Activities and support that are the remit of another statutory organisation such as: County Council: children’s centres, childcare, school curriculum activities, breakfast and

afterschool clubs, general youth clubs, education for young people aged 18 and under, young offenders, personal care, carer’s groups, day centres, older people’s lunch clubs, literacy and library, community education

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Health Authority: clinical health or issues groups/projects, medical support groups, counselling or therapy, activities for those in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction

Other and authority/partnerships: homelessness (see Homelessness Prevention Grants) https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/homelessness-prevention-grant , Community Safety (victims of domestic violence, reducing crime and anti-social behaviour), immigration advice, uniformed groups, toddler and playgroups

b) Worship or the promotion of religion or religious activities

Religious groups may apply for non-religious activities but will need to demonstrate that the activity does not promote a religious view in any way and is inclusive to all faiths and religions. We will not fund trips to religious places of worship

c) The promotion of a political party or publicity that appears to be designed to affect public support for a political party

d) Personal care services or funding for individuals - see page 10 for further information regarding individual bursaries for sporting activities and coaching

e) Activities that: have already happened (retrospective) or are outside the grant award year have food and refreshments which are not integral to activity outcome/s and are high cost

and disproportionate. This will be assessed on a case by case basis but generally we will only consider light refreshments

have high/disproportionate administrative, management and/or publicity costs and are not good value for money

include the hire of a bar or the purchase of alcohol make a private, personal or commercial gain/profit are for fundraising purposes, including charity shops are for those who can afford to pay are competitive are held outside Cambridge, unless there is no other provider in the city include trips, projects or excursions outside the United Kingdom or other unreasonable

locations. Entrance fees and the use of cars will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

f) Running costs of organisations

We only fund fully costed activities which may include a realistic and proportionate amount of organisational running costs

g) Publicity that is not related to an eligible activity and is not reasonably costed. We do not fund website development or updates unless it is directly providing, and integral to, the funded activity

h) Apprenticeship schemes

i) Language and cultural classes

j) Staff, self-employed, or contracted costs which exceed those agreed for City Council workers However we actively encourage organisations that employ people to pay or to work towards paying, the Real Living Wage, currently £9.50 https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/living-wage

Please note that as the grant comes from public funds, you must let us know about any surplus you make from the activity and we reserve the right to require you to pay back all or part of the grant.

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Action 3 – Ensure your organisation meets the eligibility criteria We will only fund voluntary and community organisations that meet our eligibility criteria (see below). You should be able to answer ‘yes’ to every statement or ‘not applicable’ if it is not appropriate for your organisation, e.g. if your organisation does not employ people you would not require employment procedures. If you are applying on behalf of a recently formed organisation please contact grants@cambridge.gov.uk to enquire which documents would be essential for your organisation.

The organisation applying for this funding acknowledges the information in the application documents and confirms the organisation:

GOVERNANCE is independently set up for charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes and does not operate for

private, commercial or personal profit/gain is not a statutory organisation or was not set up by a statutory organisation, or is not managed wholly

or partly by a statutory organisation has a legal structure that is appropriate to the size and nature of the organisation, with a governing

document, e.g. constitution, memorandum of association or set of rules, which sets out the aims and rules governing the organisation

decides policy and overall management practice through a committee of a minimum of 3 unrelated, elected, unpaid volunteers (by unrelated we mean people who aren’t family members, such as siblings, parents and children; married couples or civil partners; or people living at the same address)

has systems and structures in place to manage the affairs of the organisation efficiently and effectively e.g. holds regular, quorate meetings, plans and monitors activities, keeps minutes and circulates information to group members

involves members and users in policy-making, service planning and in management, where appropriate

researches and meets the needs of local people and is able to demonstrate or evidence why this activity or service is required

complies with all statutory and legal responsibilities applicable to our organisation and its regulatory body

meets the legal responsibilities of an employer and adopts, implements, and monitors good employment practices and procedures

recruits and supports volunteers has up to date, appropriate and adequate insurance cover demonstrates good governance and management by having policies and procedures for the

following which are adopted, implemented, monitored and reviewed and comply with legislation a) Health and Safety - covering staff, volunteers and users, and includes risk assessments

appropriate to activities b) Safeguarding - child and/or adult protection c) Equality & Diversity d) Environmental - reducing carbon footprint, energy efficiency, reducing waste, and increasing

recycling e) Confidentiality / Data Protection (GDPR) f) Complaints

FINANCES See Appendix A on Application Help Notes

demonstrates good financial management and sustainability by: a) keeping proper and adequate financial records to explain all transactions, the organisation’s

financial position and audit trails of decisions made

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b) preparing statutory accounts meeting legal requirements and complying with any external scrutiny required by law or the organisation’s governing document

c) preparing budgets and monitoring them at least quarterly and preparing revised financial forecasts based on actual spend

d) presenting regular reports on the organisation’s financial position to the management committee e) preparing a reserves policy detailing the level of reserves held and an explanation and calculation

of why they are held and updates this annually f) ensuring that effective financial systems and procedures have been established, are being

consistently followed and are in line with best practice and legal requirements g) reviewing internal financial controls to ensure they are adequate and being complied with to

provide a robust system for managing financial risk and all expenditure is authorised by two bank signatories

h) not being reliant on Cambridge City Council funding alone charges users at a reasonable level and offers concessionary rates to low-income residents can demonstrate they need financial support for the activity and do not have free reserves that could

be used for this purpose applies to all relevant statutory agencies for funding and undertakes their own fundraising has used any previous City Council grants for the purpose awarded and reported these as restricted

funds in accounts GENERAL

does not promote any political parties, is not involved in party politics, or does not promote political views

will provide any information required to support their application has returned satisfactory monitoring and evaluation, accounts or other information requested in

connection with any previous funding from the Council on time

If you need help to improve your practices, policies or procedures or just want to have an organisational health check please contact Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service, preferably by email: enquiries@cambridgecvs.org.uk Tel: 01223 464696 or 07935 649805

Can you apply?

If you cannot answer ‘YES’ to all of the following you are not eligible to apply

Does the activity you want funding for reduce social and / or economic inequality for Cambridge City residents with the most need?

Is the activity for Cambridge City residents (people living in the 14 wards within the city boundary) who cannot afford to pay for the activity themselves?

Can you clearly evidence and explain: why the activity is needed? what difference it will make to beneficiaries?

Do the outcomes of your activity meet one (or more) of our strategic outcomes? Reduce poverty Improve skills and confidence to gain employment Improve general health and wellbeing Communities come together and bring about change Stronger voluntary sector in the city

Is your activity one of those listed in our funding priorities (page 3) and does it meet the criteria of what we will and will not fund?

Does your organisation meet our eligibility criteria; can it manage public funds appropriately; it does not have free reserves that could fund the activity?

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How to apply for a Community Grant 2022-23 Action 4 – Requesting an Application Form

If you think your organisation meets the eligibility criteria and the activity clearly meets the funding priorities and you would like to apply please contact us for an application form.

Additional Activities - you will need to complete an Additional Activity Application Form if you want to apply for more than one activity.

Discretionary Rate Relief (DRR) - you will need to complete a DRR Form if you want to apply for DRR on premises you pay rates for, which provide activities that meet our funding criteria detailed in this guide. We will not consider funding DRR unless organisations demonstrate their activities meet our funding priorities and outcomes and DRR may only be awarded proportionate to the number of beneficiaries that are City residents. Any DRR awarded will be for a fixed 12-month period from April 2022 – March 2023.

To request a form email grants@cambridge.gov.uk making it clear which: 1. organisation you represent 2. form(s) you require:

a) Application Form b) Additional Activity Application Form c) Discretionary Rate Relief Form

Action 5 – Completing the Application Form

1. Help Notes – the Application Form Help Notes guide you through the form, question by question (and please note the key messages in Appendix 2 of this document).

2. Application Workshop via a webinar – Cambridge City Council and Cambridge Council for

Voluntary Service (CCVS) are holding a webinar for organisations to find out more about our funding, application process and forms on:

Thursday 9th September 2021 10.00am – 11.30am

Email us to book a place at grants@cambridge.gov.uk and we can send you the link to join the webinar. This session will start promptly. The webinar will be available to watch on our website until the application closing date on this link: https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/grants-and-funding

3. Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service (CCVS) :

If you are unable to access the webinar, CCVS are running bookable sessions available for 1-1 help. We recommend you contact them as early as possible

Contact CCVS direct preferably by email: enquiries@cambridgecvs.org.uk Tel: 01223 464696 or 07935 649805 to book a 1-1 session

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4. Individual queries – Below are the contacts for help relating to general or specialist queries. If

you would like to have a conversation, send an email with your contact phone number. Arts & Cultural Activities Akua Obeng-

Frimpong Tel: 457085 Akua.Obeng-Frimpong@cambridge.gov.uk

Sports & Recreational Activities

Sports Team sport@cambridge.gov.uk

Legal and/or financial advice, employment, community development, capacity building

Jackie Hanson Tel: 457867 Jackie.Hanson@cambridge.gov.uk grants@cambridge.gov.uk

Reducing Poverty David Kidston Tel: 457043 David.Kidston@cambridge.gov.uk

Financial information Christine Mason Tel: 457874 Christine.Mason@cambridge.gov.uk

General application & organisation support

CCVS Tel: 464696 enquiries@cambridgecvs.org.uk

Other help and support

Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service (CCVS) provides a range of support including: completing application forms, advice on project development and identifying need, help to search for alternative funding, advice on policies and procedures, help with budgets, finances and outcomes, monitoring, evaluation, relevant factsheets to funding applications and bids. http://www.cambridgecvs.org.uk/reports/15 Contact : preferably by email enquiries@cambridgecvs.org.uk Tel: 01223 464696 or 07935 649805 Cambridge Ethnic Community Forum - advice and support to local black, Asian and minority ethnic voluntary and community organisations. Tel: 01223 655241 cecfenquiries@cecf.co.uk Allia Future Business - free help for voluntary and community organisations in Cambridgeshire who wish to explore trading as a means of increasing their impact and income and for those aiming to start a social enterprise or trading arm. Tel: 0845 4562432 hello@futurebusinesscentre.co.uk Cambridge GET Group - support group for member organisations that offer guidance, employment and training to unemployed or otherwise disadvantaged people. timc@getgroup.org.uk Arts Council England - the national development agency for the arts in England, working to get art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in artistic experiences. http://www.artscouncil.org.uk Cambridgeshire County Council - a range of funding sources for sports, arts and community activities https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/council/communities-&-localism/funding-opportunities-in-cambridgeshire/

Creative Lives formally Voluntary Arts Network - promotes participation in the arts and has an email newsletter which contains a range of training, funding and management advice. www.creative-lives.org

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General Sports Grants and Awards – the City Council web pages with links to other funding opportunities and more general information on sports grants and awards. https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/sports-grants-and-funding-for-clubs Personal Sports and Equipment Grants or Bursaries - the Council has some bursary style grants available to City residents and also funding for sports clubs and organisations. Living Sport - the local County Sports Partnership can provide some direct funding and has information about funding opportunities from national governing bodies and other local agencies https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/sports-grants-and-funding-for-clubs Action 6 – Submitting your application

Applicants will need to ensure that they have: checked their activity and that the organisation meets our eligibility criteria answered all of the questions on the form and in accordance with the detail specified in the

Application Form Help Notes submitted ALL of the required accompanying documents

Completed forms, along with all of the application documents specified, must be emailed to: grants@cambridge.gov.uk by the deadline:

9am on Monday 4th October 2021

Please note: Applications will not be accepted after this date Incomplete applications will not be eligible

What happens next? We want to fund a broad range of high- quality activities that make a difference to City residents with the most need. We anticipate receiving more applications than we are able to support with the money that is available. This means that some eligible applications, even if they are a good fit with our funding priorities and outcomes, may not receive funding from us, or may receive less than they have applied for.

Process Timetable - the timetable in Appendix 1 details the process for dealing with your application. Appeal - there is no right to appeal on award recommendations. All decisions made are final. Disclaimer - we have tried to make sure that the information we give is correct. We do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to anyone for loss or damage caused by mistakes or omissions in the information we provide, whether these mistakes or omissions are caused by negligence, accident or any other reason. We do not endorse or recommend any of the organisations that we mention in this information.

General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

We need information about the applicant, activities, and how you intend to deliver and monitor them so that we can assess your grant application and monitor awards.

Please see Appendix 3 for our privacy notice which explains how we will process your data

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Appendix 1 - Community Grants 2022-23 Process Timetable

9am Monday 4th October 2021

DEADLINE for the return of 2022-23 Community Grant and Discretionary Rate Relief Applications.

The contact person named on your application form will be sent an email acknowledging receipt.

If you have not heard from us by 15th October 2021 at 4pm please contact us as we may not have received your application.

October 2021 - Mid-December 2021

Council officers assess your application and prepare a report for the Environment and Community Scrutiny Committee with recommendations to the Executive Councillor for Communities. These recommendations are based on the information provided in your application and monitoring of previous awards.

Week beginning 17th January 2022 (approximately)

Committee papers containing recommendations for funding levels are published on the City Council’s website. It is your democratic right to lobby the councillors on the committee. A list of the current councillors on that committee, and their contact details is here: https://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=476

27th January 2022 Environment and Community Services Committee considers funding proposals. The Executive Councillor will then decide 2022-23 provisional grant funding levels, subject to approval of the overall Council budget in February 2022. Organisations that have applied for funding will be notified of decisions by email within 7 days of the meeting.

Mid-February 2022 The Council approves its overall 2022-23 budget, after which the Executive Councillor will confirm actual grant funding awards. Organisations will only be contacted if there are any changes to the provisional January decision on their grant level.

March 2022 Grant Agreements will be sent to organisations detailing awards and conditions. Awards will be paid by BACS (transferred directly into organisation’s bank accounts) once the Grant Agreement is signed and returned to us along with any other outstanding information (including previous monitoring reports). Payments are made from 1st April 2022.

April 2022 Full grants or first instalments will be processed. Organisations will receive notification of the grant transfer direct into the organisation’s bank account.

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Appendix 2 - Applications & Awards – Key Messages Read the Application Guide & Help Notes before starting any application A good application needs to clearly evidence: the activity fits the funding priorities - see the examples of what can and cannot be funded the need for the activity which is appropriate to the size and capacity of the organisation how the activity reduces social and / or economic disadvantage – show how the activity

removes barriers or addresses gaps in society for City residents with the most need how the activity meets the strategic outcome(s) appropriate promotion of the activity to targeted users who have social or economic

disadvantage the activity has an accurate and reasonable budget and appropriate income has been

considered and sourced and is value for money that this activity cannot be funded out of your reserves – this needs to be evidenced by a

current, well thought through reserves policy and sound financial management the organisation is sustainable and well managed and meets our eligibility criteria

Applications must be supported by the documents requested We can only fund the proportion of your activity which is for city residents If the above evidence is not in place, you are unlikely to receive an award After an award is made: Our funding must be spent on the purpose awarded as detailed on the grant agreement and

application documents. This includes income and expenditure relating to the budgets submitted.

We may ask for receipts and other evidence. If you spend our grant on activities or items that are different to those stated in your application

form, we will ask for our funding to be returned. You will have to monitor the activity and provide us with detailed information on the activity,

outcomes, income and expenditure.

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Appendix 3 – Privacy Notice Cambridge City Council Community Funding and Development Service Privacy Notice The Community Funding and Development Service (which includes the Grants Team) collects personal data for the following activities:

1. To respond to grant enquiries 2. To process grant applications 3. To process awards, payments and grant agreements 4. To monitor grant awards and ensure public money has been spent for the purpose allocated 5. To provide information about Council grants and voluntary sector support and activities

We collect names, addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers (mobile, landline and work numbers), and photographs (relating to funded projects) via online, phone, face to face, or other written interactions. We process your data with a view to entering into a contract with the organisation you represent. Information on your rights regarding your personal data you provide us is available at www.cambridge.gov.uk (search for Privacy Notice). We will not share your personal data with external agencies or individuals. However, we may process the information you provide to prevent and detect fraud in any of our systems and may supply information to government agencies, law enforcement agencies, internal audit, regulators or other external bodies for such purposes. We do not routinely process any information about you outside the European Economic Area (EEA), except in rare cases, where we use all appropriate safeguards. We only keep your personal information as long as necessary. Please refer to our Retention Policy for more information. We will review mailing lists annually. You can contact us at any point if you no longer want to be informed about grant opportunities. We will delete enquiry information which did not result in an application after one year.

If you have a query regarding your rights please contact the Data Protection Officer who can be contacted by emailing infogov@3csharedservices.org or you can write to the Council and mark your letter for the attention of the Data Protection Officer. Alternatively you can call 01223 457000. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).